Davy Crockett
"Always be sure you are right, then go ahead." Born to struggling parents, raised in the era of America's early struggling period, Davy Crockett proved to be a man of action whose confidence and charisma inspired others to follow him. This would ultimately prove his undoing, as well as give birth to one of America's earliest and most enduring folk heroes. Facts: -Davy Crocket was raised in a poor family and made an early living by doing work as a Buckaroo. Driving cattle, serving in the state militia, and similar jobs were what dotted the lines of Davy's early resume. -Davy's favored attire was the iconic Frontiersman look; a coonskin cap with buckskin shirt and trousers on. -'Betsy' was the supposed name of Crockett's favored rifle. -Davy was a true member of the Order of Remnants. He preferred long-range combat to avoid the dangers of being stabbed or shot by accident. He was skilled at bypassing enemy lines using stealth, and he was one of the few white men of the American frontier skilled enough in bushcraft to sneak up on the Natives. -Davy was a lifelong member of the Sons of Liberty and proudly served in the 'Tennessee Tigers' Militia until just before his death when he relocated to Texas following the Second Mexican War for Independence. -Davy was a Rifleman and an expert shot. He frequently trained other soldiers in the Militia and during the Battle of the Alamo and other skirmishes with enemies, Davy performed with distinctive accuracy which won him the acclaim of others. -Davy did not participate in the War of 1812 because at that time America was also engaged in the Creek War in which Andrew Jackson was leading SoL elements to take Spanish Florida by force. Davy proved an excellent fighter during this time but his real contribution came in the form of scavenging. Jackson and the SoL troops were far from home, quickly burning up supplies and stuck in the middle of swampy Florida. Davy and his men helped save the day by foraging for food to keep the troops fed during the long marches through the swampy terrain. -Despite serving under Andrew Jackson, a future President and fellow living legend among the SoL, Davy appears not to have gotten along with Jackson at all. At least not politically. Davy strongly disagreed with Jackson's treatment of the Native Americans and his hamfisted policy towards European agents in the region. -Following his involvement in Spanish Florida, Davy moved into politics and used his charisma and oratory skills to win several seats for himself, representing his people first in the Tennessee General Assembly at the state level and then moving on to the House of Representatives at the federal level. -Following several years of ups-and-downs in the political arena, Crockett finally called it quits. He wrote in one letter that he would 'move to Texas' if Andrew Jackson's chosen successor (Martin Van Buren) was elected to the office of President. After writing this letter, Martin Van Buren was indeed elected President, and Crocket made preparations to move his family and businesses out to Texas. -Texas at that time was a territory officially under the statehood of Mexico. However, its people had tried before to succeed from Mexico and form an independent state but failed. Now they were trying again, and this time with official backing from the US. Davy brought with himself money, skills, charsima and the political clout of being an American folk hero. -Crockett swore an oath before a Texas judge that he would fight for the freedom of Texas. He then brought his men to Fort Alamo, San Antonio, where they planned to operate from. However, unbeknownst to Crockett, a Mexican army was fast approaching and bore down on the fort and laid siege before Crockett and his men could escape. -The Siege of the Alamo lasted for days and saw Davy using his superior skills as a Rifleman from the walls of the Alamo. He purportedly also led several night missions passed Mexican picket lines. -Despite near-constant bombardment for days on end, the Alamo managed to resist for quite some time. However, early one morning, a section of the Northern wall collapsed, allowing the Mexican army to pour their troops in through the breach and overwhelm the defenders. -According to apocryphal sources, Crockett is said to have stopped briefly in the mission chapel to say a prayer before running off to join his men. Exactly how he died is uncertain but it is established that, after running out of room to fire his rifle, Crockett was instead using it as a club. He and his men engaged the Mexican soldiers in close-quarters combat with knives and clubs. -Once the fighting was over, a few of the defenders surrendered (most accounts list only seven men). General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a member of the Society of the Serpent, ordered all defenders who survived the battle to be executed. It should be noted, however, that this was seen as a cowardly act by his officers who refused to carry out the order. General Antonio had to have his personal men perform the executions instead. -The bodies of the defenders were burned in a pyre outside the fort and it is presumed that the place where the ashes were scattered is, in fact, the final resting place of Davy Crockett. Survivor of the Alamo?: Of course, as with most folk heroes, there are legends surrounding his death. Some believe that Crockett, in fact, survived the siege of the Alamo. Others believe that he was one of the few who surrendered, although these stories all emanant from Mexico and are told by people who weren't there. References: -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett[[Category:Sons Of Liberty]]